Health care, rural infrastructure key concerns for Kind

Jan. 25--Rep. Ron Kind said health insurance coverage is the number one concern of constituents who call and write his office since the election of President Donald Trump.

Repealing the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, has been a top priority of Republicans, who now control both houses of Congress and the White House.

"I can't tell you how many people have called, contacted my office scared to death," Kind said Wednesday. "About the coverage they now have under ACA, whether it's the exchange, Medicaid, and what's going to happen to their lives."

Kind, a Democrat from La Crosse, warned that plans to cut the Medicaid budget and let states decide how best to spend it would "set each governor up for failure" and could result in a "race to the bottom" without some federal oversight. He hopes the GOP will retain some of the current law's popular features -- such as a ban on lifetime coverage caps and a requirement that insurers must cover pre-existing conditions -- while working to bring down costs.

"Let's be honest with the American people and say -- let's recognize the good features that are in it," he said. "But also recognize there are things that need to be reformed."

In addition to containing health-care costs, Kind said in the new session he wants to focus on job creation, tax reform, protecting Social Security and Medicare and a new Farm Bill that favors family farms.

Kind said Trump's promises to invest in the nation's infrastructure is long overdue, but said plans to spur private-sector investment through tax breaks would be "devastating" for rural America.

"There's not a private investor in the world that's going to invest in any bond that goes to rural America, because the return is not there," he said.

Kind suggested Trump, a native New Yorker, hasn't shown a loyalty to rural voters. Trump, who narrowly won the popular vote in Wisconsin, easily carried the mostly rural Third Congressional District, where Kind was unopposed.

"He's really not that aware or that tuned in to the needs of rural America. ... or that interested, quite frankly," Kind said. "Even though, ironically, it's been the base of his political support."

Get breaking news sent instantly to your inbox

1

html

subscribe

La Crosse Tribune

CST

email@newsletter.lacrossetribune.com

Sign Up!

6B5869DC547D3D464BF880DED0B83E06

LaCrosseTribune.com Breaking News

6B5869DC547D3D46A87AACECFA59118D

Obituaries

I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site consitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.

___

(c)2017 the La Crosse Tribune (La Crosse, Wis.)

Visit the La Crosse Tribune (La Crosse, Wis.) at www.lacrossetribune.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.